__ _ . ofIneffeEtual rIearifag the Word. new man that is eternall. There is a double efficacy that theword bath; the firfi is to beget a Chriflian to life, and this newman is eternall. l.conceive all the aetions ofthe new man may be fufpended, and the increafingsof the newcreature may be decayed, though God Both re- new it again : But this never do's decay , irnever dies : He that is bornof God cannotfin, becaufe he is born ofGod; and becairfe thefeedof God remains inhim. 2. There is efficacy in the word when it bath begot- ten a man to nourifh him up ; and fo the word it is food to him, that was feed to him to beget him, whichfood is eternall. How is it eternal ? Isit.in this, that now the fweetrieffe, favour and remembrance of every thing that doth refrefh him, fhall lafl in it fell? No, but in this re- (pea it is eternall, in that it leaveth its fecret verrue in the nourifhingof that which is eternall. As nowAdam when he was in innocency, and had an immortali body, his food it fhouldhave been an immortali food to him ; but how fhould that have been ? fhould he alvvayes have had the fame firength, from the fame diet, which he ate long before ? No, but in this refpett it fhould have been an immortall food to him, in that it was to nourifh that which was to be eternal : So it is here, the word ofGods grace it begets a man, it humbles a man, and draws the foul to ChrifI ; but afterwards, there are many things that God fpeaks to the foul in the word,that hath an e ter- nall vertue, in that it doth nourifh up the new creature; the word hath a fecret verrue in it for this end.I wil í'new it you thus; Ifa.58.1i.The Lord he profeffes tohis people thy foul fhal be as a watered garden,theLord wil makethe fouls ofhis people like watered gardens,in peace, and oy, and life. Now lookas if fo be Treesby water or by Lome fprings that run by it, and Elide away, and ye cannot tell, -which iris that makes them to grow ; yet yeknow this, there is in all of them joyned together, a fecret infers hie vertue that every one of them addes foinething to the floutifhing of the Tree : So it is here, the Saints of Ged, the word of God it comes to theta, and pafies by them ; and ye cannot tell whether this part or that part of the word leave any vertue, but many times a man fe:h no vertue ; yet it is manifeflr, here is a flourifhing Chriflian, here is heart, and life , and peace that it bath w,irh Gods - and the foul it remains fiourifhing ; there is a ff;cret vet - rue, all the words that rare by-and paffe by the foulsof H 4 Gods a03 2. ú
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